Photo via AppleNext

Apple Has Already Started Working on H3 Chip and New AirPods

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AirPods Pro 3 landed last month with bigger batteries, foam-infused tips, and very familiar brains: Apple’s H2 from 2022. That choice puzzled a lot of people. New hardware, old silicon? It sounds like a contradiction, but it also sets the stage. Because, quietly, Apple’s already building what comes next.

Photo via Startup News // New AirPods are coming. Should you buy AirPods now or wait? Let's break it down.

What is H3 actually aiming to fix?

Here’s the thing—wireless earbuds live and die by latency and consistency. According to Mark Gurman’s Power On, Apple’s working on an H3 chip aimed at cutting lag and boosting audio quality. That’s the practical stuff you feel without even thinking about it: smoother games and videos, snappier spatial audio cues, cleaner noise handling on busy streets. Less “is my audio a half-beat behind?” and more “yep, that’s locked in.”

I know, chips don’t sound romantic. But in AirPods land, silicon is the secret sauce. H2 already wrung out better ANC and sound on AirPods Pro 2 and 3. So H3? Expect incremental on paper, noticeable in the ear.

IR cameras on AirPods Pro… seriously?

It’s not as weird as it sounds. Multiple reports suggest Apple is testing AirPods Pro with tiny infrared cameras. Why would earbuds need cameras? Two reasons make sense:

• Head/hand awareness for gestures: Imagine subtle in-air controls that don’t rely on a stem squeeze. A small tilt, a pinch in the air, a glance gesture—more natural than you’d think.
• Deeper presence with Vision Pro: IR cameras could help AirPods sync with head movement and eye-driven interactions, tightening audio perspective in mixed reality. If you’ve used Spatial Audio, you know how much that realism depends on fast, reliable motion cues.

Do these IR-equipped buds get an H3 first? That’s the rumor-shaped puzzle piece. Extra processing for camera-driven features would love a newer chip. It would also explain why Apple kept H2 in Pro 3—save the leap for the camera model.

AirPods 5: two flavors, familiar playbook

On the entry side, Apple’s working on AirPods 5 in two tiers—think the AirPods 4 strategy continued: a standard version and one with Active Noise Cancellation. Don’t expect the heart-rate sensing that Pro 3 picked up to trickle down yet. Gurman points to more health features over time, though—temperature sensing keeps getting mentioned. That fits Apple’s pattern: start in premium, graduate to mainstream once the pipeline’s smooth.

Could AirPods 5 run H3? Maybe. If Apple wants a clean silicon story across the line, H3 everywhere would be tidy. But even if the chip hits Pro first, expect the gap to close fast. That’s how AirPods generations usually roll.

Why the H2 “repeat” on Pro 3 wasn’t a mistake

If you’ve tried AirPods Pro 3, you probably noticed the differences aren’t flashy; they’re felt. Better seal with the foam tips, improved endurance, steadier ANC—these are quality-of-life gains. It’s a very Apple move: ship usability upgrades now, hold the big silicon swing for a model that truly needs it. If IR cameras are real, that’s your swing.

Should you buy now or wait?

Honestly, it depends on your tolerance for FOMO and your current earbuds:

• If your buds are aging and you want great ANC and comfort today, AirPods Pro 3 are excellent right now.
• If you’re curious about gesture-y, Vision-Pro-friendly features, the camera-equipped model sounds worth waiting for.
• On a budget? AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC have been hitting record lows lately (around $89 and $119). If you don’t need a perfect seal or pro-grade ANC, that’s a steal.

You know what? There’s no wrong move here—just different levels of future-proofing.

The bigger picture: audio as a sensor platform

AirPods started as wireless earbuds; they’re becoming tiny wearable computers around your ears. Heart-rate sensing arrived on Pro 3. Temperature and other wellness metrics keep popping up in reports. Add cameras, and you’ve got a more aware device that understands motion, space, and intent—useful for workouts, FaceTime, games, and yes, Vision Pro sessions. It’s not flashy on a spec sheet, but it’s the kind of foundation that changes how these things feel day to day.

Timelines, names, and the labeling game

Will IR-camera AirPods be “Pro 4” or an upgraded “Pro 3”? Apple’s flexible with names—remember when Pro 2 got a USB-C case without a new number? What matters more is capability. H3 timing isn’t nailed down publicly, and the AirPods 5 window isn’t locked either. The hints suggest as early as 2026 for some of this, but hardware schedules breathe. Consider everything “soon-ish,” not calendar-level firm.

Bottom line

• H3 targets lower latency and better sound—subtle on slides, meaningful in your ears.
• IR cameras on AirPods Pro could enable gesture control and tighter Vision Pro sync.
• AirPods 5 likely continues the two-tier approach; wellness features will spread, but not all at once.
• Buying now is safe; waiting could be fun. That’s classic Apple timing.

If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that AirPods evolve in quiet steps—until they don’t. H3 plus cameras feels like one of those “ohhh, now I get it” moments waiting in the wings.

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Published to Apple Scoop on 12th October, 2025.